Pyrotechnic spinning-top



(No Model.)

B. P.-NENNINGER. PYROTEOHNIG SPINNING TOP.

No. 421,424. Patented Feb. 18, 1890.

ATTORNEYJ fl PEIERS, Phelciilhognpher. Washington. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT F. NENNINGER, OF NEIVARK, NEWV JERSEY.

PYROTECHNIC SPINNING-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,424, dated February 18, 1890.

Application filed June 5, 1889- Serial No. 313,219. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT F. NENNINGER, of the city of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pyrotechnic Spinning-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved pyrotechnical toy by means of which boys and others may set oh? pin-wheels and other fireworks in a novel and attractive manner by mounting them on a rotating top instead of attaching them by pins to a fixed object; and the inventionconsists of a pyrotechnical toy made in the nature of a spinning-top and actuated in the same manner by a cord and handle, said top consisting of a lower section having a spindle and of an upper section having a socket for receiving a Roman candle or other piece of fire-works, and of means for locking the lower and upper sections together after a pin-wheel has been placed in position between the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and finally pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical transverse sectional view of my improved pyrotechnical toy on the line on 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the upper section and the pin-wheel on the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

In the drawings, Arepresents the lower and B the upper section of my improved pyrotechnical toy. The lower disk-shaped section A is provided with a central spindle a, having the pointed lower end a. Around this spindle is wound a cord 0, which is passed through a hole D in a ringshaped handle D, so that rotatory motion can be imparted to the top in the well-known manner of spinning-tops. The upper section is formed, like the lower, of a disk-shaped plate provided with a central socket I open at the top and bottom, into which a Roman candle f or similar piece of fire-works is placed. The sections are locked together by suitable clampinghooks E, which are secured to the lower section A and passed through slots 61 in the up per section, and then turned so as to clamp the parts together. Before clamping them a pin-wheel G, or like piece of fire-works, is interposed between the disks of the two sections A and B, the pin-wheel having slots for the hooks E and being firmly held in place by the sections when they are clamped together and lighted by means of a fuse e, which extends along the center part of the pin-wheel from the center toward the circumference, so that the Roman candle placed in the socket b can ignite the fuse, which thereby transmits the fire to the end of the pin-wheel so as to ignite the same. As soon as the pin-wheel is ignited the reaction caused by the combustion of the powder in the pin-wheel continues the rotatory motion first imparted by the string, and thereby keeps up the rotation of the toy until the pin-wheel is spent. The toy really forms a holder for the fire-works and is sold with the same, the holder being used over and over again, so as to set off as many candles and pin-wheels as desired.

The toys may be made of different sizes, according to the different sizes of fire-works to be set off by the same. The parts are made of cast metal and can be furnished at small expense and form a perfectly safe toy for boys and grown people.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A pyrotechnical toy or holder formed of a lower and an upper section,the lower section being composed of a disk provided with a central pointed spindle, the upper section being provided with a central socket open at the lower end, and clamping-hooks on the disk of the lower section and passed through slots of the disk of the upper section, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBT. F. NENNIN GER.

Witnesses: PAUL GOEPEL, MARTIN PETRY. 

